New EU Envoy Holds Talks on Somalia’s Media

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s media freedom and the working conditions of journalists have been discussed at a meeting between the European Union’s new ambassador and media representatives in Mogadishu.

László Máthé met journalists at the EU Delegation headquarters to exchange views on the challenges facing the country’s media sector.

Omar Faruk Osman, secretary-general of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), welcomed the meeting, saying it was important for the ambassador to hear directly from journalists about their experiences.

“We welcome the new EU Ambassador’s engagement with the media,” Osman said.

He said journalists needed the freedom, safety and decent working conditions required to carry out their work, while the public needed access to reliable information.

Osman said these conditions were important for democracy to take root and for Somalia to achieve stability and peace.

Today, we have had a positive meeting with the new EU 🇪🇺 Ambassador to Somalia, László Máthé, during which we had frank and very engaging discussions on media freedom, better working conditions for journalists, greater support for women journalists and the need for progressive… pic.twitter.com/4gWvIPWreL

— NUSOJ | National Union of Somali Journalists (@NUSOJofficial) October 21, 2026

The meeting also covered support for women journalists and the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which can undermine public confidence in information.

Participants discussed the importance of addressing false information while protecting media freedom and responsible reporting.

NUSOJ described the discussions as an opportunity to engage with the EU on the difficulties facing journalists and the role of the media in informing the public.

The union said the meeting provided a platform for discussing how journalism contributes to public understanding and democratic governance in Somalia.